‘Unity Ride’ vs bigger motorcycle plates
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2019 07:29:22 +0000
THOUSANDS of bikers join the ‘Unity Ride’ against the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act which requires motorcycles to have bigger license plates and other identification marks. The protest ride caused heavy traffic along EDSA Sunday morning. (Ali Vicoy)
Thousands of motorcycle riders trooped to the People Power Monument in Quezon City Sunday morning where they staged a “National Unity Ride” in strong opposition to the law requiring motorcycles to have bigger license plates and other identification marks.
The more than 10,00 riders who gathered in front the monument reasoned out that the recently approved law only puts the lives of the riders and the public in extreme danger.
The motorcycle riders occupied three lanes along the northbound side of EDSA-White Plains that impeded the flow of traffic.
After the program, the motorcycle riders continued with the motorcade and proceeded to Trinoma in the northern part of EDSA.
They then took a U-turn going to the southbound lane of EDSA leading to the SM Mall of Asia (MOA), further going to Macapagal and Diokno Boulevards and finally to the Senate where the unity ride ended.
Motorists expressed their frustration as traffic along the said areas were heavy even in the early morning as only two lanes were passable during their gathering in front of the People Power Monument.
Under the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, which was signed by the President on March 8, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is mandated to issue bigger, readable and color-coded license plates to every motorcycle in the country.
The plate numbers should be big enough to be readable from a distance of at least 15 meters from the motorcycle.
However, transport groups have opposed the use of bigger license plates for motorcycles, saying that it may endanger the rider and the pedestrians.
“If we place plates that are too big and will be affected by wind, there’s no assurance that the mounting points will hold these plates in place,” Joebert Bolanos of Riders of the Philippines insisted. (Chito A. Chavez)